Circuit-breaker.



S. C. MCKEOWN. cmcun BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5, 19!]- L? ma, v

Patented Dec. 17,- 1918.

Application filed Herc-h 15,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that SAMUEL C. l /lcl lsown, a citizen or" the United States, residing at Newark, in the county or Essex and State of s New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, of which the following is a specification.

lily invention relates to circuit breaking mechanism for the primary circuit of high tension ignition systems such as used in connection with magneto or induction coil apparatus for internal combustion engine ignition. 1

In particular it is devoted to means for securing a quick and effective interruption or" the contact points controlling such circuit in such a Way that the quick and decisive manner in which said contacts operate is not afiected by slight imperfections in the manu- 20 facture or certain elements of the device, or by any unevenness or variations occurring as a result of wear.

Another object is to provide a brealier the r mponent parts of which may readily be r sseinbled to facilitate in inspection or her objects will appear from a ccnsid oration of the following description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein reference characters are employed to identify the various parts and, Figure 1 is an end View ofa high tension magneto adapted for use with a twelve cylinder=engine having incorporated therein one em six of the distributor terminals are seen, the other six being in a plane behind those shown and hence not visible. Fig. 2 is a perspective showing oi the rocker arm with the breaker device mounted thereon. Fig. 3 is a top view of the detachable breaker point structure seen in Fig. 1. Fig; l is a side elevation of the said breaker point structure. 5 is a bottom View of said breaker point structure and Fig. 6 is a perspective view oi a cam member for actuating said breaker points.

Referring to the drawings, fl designates generally a magneto machine having a distributor head'Z provided with high tension terminal, posts 3. Mounted so as to be adg'ustable about the shaft of the magneto, i

for the purpose of performing the usual.

Sipseification of Letters Patent.

bodiment of my invention. In this view but Patented-Dec. 17, eis.

ierz. seminojisaora ing function is a rocker plate 4: which has a suitable manipulating lever 5. Attached to said rocker plate is a breaker mounting plate 6. Said plate 6 is iastened'to the rocker plate by a plurality of screws 7 the heads of which rest in elongated holes as seen-to permit of any line adjustment between said plates that may be necessary to bring the contact points in proper relation with the shaft of the magneto. A metallic strip 8 carried by the plate 6 has mounted thereupon a U-shaped member 9 as by means of screws 10. Said U-shaped member is insulated from the remaining structure by insulating layers 11 and bushings 12. A screw 13 threaded in the member 9 serves for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Considering the unitary breaker point structure shown in Figs. 3 to '5, the same is seen to consist of a pair of resilient springs 1% and is; These springs are spaced apart by an insulating block 16. Elements 1'3, 18, 19, and 20 are placed as shown and then riveted together by rivets 21 and 22. Elements 1? and 18 are metal plates which are in electrical contact with springs and 1 respectively. is a metal plate serving as a seat against-which the rivets maybe headed, and to prevent said rivets rom short circuiting springs 14 and 15 an insulating strip 19 is inserted between elements 18 and 20, and furthermore rivets 21 and 22 are preferably insulated from said springs 14 and 15 by suitable bushings. Springs is and 15 eachhas riveted thereto an extension member 23 which has its free end fashionedto receive a fiber Wearing piece 24. Fastened so as to be normally held flexibly in contact engagement by springs 14 and 15 are two opposing contact points 25 and 26. The element 17 has two drill holes 27 preferably located diagonally thereon which are adapted to engage correspondingly situated pins 28 on strip 8 to hold the contact structure in place when assernbled as shown in Fig. 1. The screw 13 may then be turned down so that its nose enters the opening 35 or" plate 20 and bears against the element 18 to thereby secure the structure in position.

Mounted on the magneto shaft is a cammember 29 having any suitable number oi I have'shown four such points and hence to i be used in connection with a twelve cylinder engine the magneto shaft must be geared to run at one and a half crank shaft speed.

The contact Supporting members extend so that-the cam fingersBO, which are beveled as shown at 31, pass between the wearing elements 24 to thereby force the saine apart and open the breaker contacts 25 and 26. Considering the electrical connections, current isbrought from the live end of the magneto primary, in the particular type of magneto shown, by means of a conductor 32 which is clamped to a suitable lug 33 on the insulated U-shaped member 9. From here current is led by way of the clamping screw 13 to contact 25, contact26 and thence to ground on the strip 8. 'Rocker plate 4 and breaker mounting plate 6 have registering notches shown at 34 to accommodate the primary conductor 32.

I am aware that the broad idea of arranging-a pair of breaker points so that both are operable to simultaneously separate from each other to thereby insure a more rapid break is not new, but devices heretofore de I signed to operate in this manner have been subject to more or less uncertainty of action.

For instance where the contacts are mounted on movable arms, spring pressed into their closing position, and a cam is adapted to separate both arms simultaneously, it is evident that should, for such reasons as wear,

or imperfect manufacture, the said cam make engagement with one of said arms prior to that of the other arm the double separation action sought is defeated and in wearing elements, and thereby in a position to start both of the contact points in their separatin movement at the same instant.

Ila-will e apparent .to those skilled in the art that various changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described herein.

Having I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described;

a mounting plate; a detachable unitary contact structure located thereon; said structure including a pair of resilient spring blades,

21 contact point on each of said blades and points make the pre' thus described my inventionwhat' v and wearing elements on each of adapted to pass between said wearing and therebysepand clamping means for assigns normally 'in closed relation with each other,

a cam elements to flex said blades arate said contacts securing said contact structure in working position on said mounting plate.

' In a device of the character described; amounting plate; a detachable unitary consaid blades;

tact structure located thereon; said structure including a pair of'resilient blades, a contact point-on each blade normally heldin their ing fingersadapted'to gaging elements to simultaneously move said .a mounting plate; a detachable unitary con the electrical circuit closed position thereby, element on each blade; a rotatable. ca-m havengage said cam encontact points away from each other, and-a clamping screw adapted to secure said con tact structure in working position on said mounting plate. i

3. In a device of the character. described;

tact structure located thereon; said structure including a pair of spring blades arranged in parallel relation and insulated from each other, two opposing contact points, one on each blade and normally held 111' closed position by the resiliency thereof; a rotatable cam adapted to act on saidblades to simul:

and. a cam engaging taneously move said contact points away from each other; a U-shaped member at-.-

from said plate; and

tached to but insulated means on said member to secure saidicomo.

tact structure in place on said plate; said U fl shaped memberalso servingas a portion oft in which one of said contacts points 1s contained.-

4. In a device of the character described,

amounting plate, a detachable unitary contact structure including a pairof spring blades each having a contact point opposing each other and normally held in closure by" the resiliency of said blades, a rotatable cam adapted to move each contact away from the other, the resiliency of said blades serving-to permit an automatic adjustment of the plane of contact of said points-in order to insure suchinotion thereof, and a that said points each begin their motion ofseparation at the same instant, and clamping means for securing said unltary structure in position upon said plate.

5. a mounting plate, a unitary structure detach- In a device of the character described,

ably located on said plate and comprising a i pair ofresiliently mounted opposing contact: points each. movable simultaneously to fiect anopening therebetween, adapted to act upon said contacts to produce a rotatable cam binding screw for 1- securing said unitary structure upon said 9 plate, sa-id screw further current to one of the contact points.

6. In a device of the character described;

a mounting plate; a detachable unitary conserving to convey tact structure located thereon; said structure including a pair of main resilient spring members, a contact on each of said members and normally in closed relation with each 5 other, an extension member fastened to each of said spring members having its end U- shapedto receive a wearing element; a cam adapted to pass between said wearing ele-' ments to flex said spring members and thereby separate said contacts; and clamping 10 means for securing said contact structure in working position on said mounting plate.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

' SAMUEL C. MoKEOWN. v 

